[Xastir] Xastir to monitor a bicycle ride/race

[Gerry Creager n5jxs]

William McKeehan wrote:
> I worked at the net control station for a MS bicycle ride this past weekend.
> It is clear to me (and many others) that APRS would have been a great way to
> keep up with our leader, trailer, EMS crew, mechanics, etc.

The Houston-to-Austin MS150 ride uses APRS tracking.  Works well. 
Further, the Austin Motorola Marathon uses it, too.  Your ideas are 
well-founded.

> In my mind, my ideal view of the race would multiple views:
> 1. an overview of the entire route showing the route, major milestones along
> the way and all APRS stations involved in the race.
> 2. A close-up view of the leader with some detailed street maps along with the
> route and major milestones
> 3. A close-up view of the trailer with some deailed street maps along with the
> route and major milestones
> 4. A close-up of a select stations (switched on demmand)
> 5. A list of stations, their distance/direction from some specified station
> 
> Now, this is my first try at something like this. I don't see an easy way to
> do something like this with Xastir.

While multiple windows would be a nice idea, when you start thinking 
about resolution of displays, and crowded displays, being able to zoom 
in, then back out, query for a particular ID, or do a block query is 
worth considering.  Keeping a single display up, but using bookmarks 
judiciously would be my solution.

> So I have a few questions.
> Has anyone used Xastir in a similar situation?
> Was this with a single computer or multiple?
> How did you have Xastir configured?
> Which Xastir windows did you have open (i.e., station list, etc)?

Map bookmarks.  Map window.

> What maps did you use?

Get the best definition maps you can find, probably in ESRI Shapefile 
format, for the area you're working with.  Talk to the cities and states 
where you're working 'bout getting the data.  I know that in Texas, all 
of our DOT's data are freely available (as in beer).  Oh.  Did I mention 
they're updated annually?  The cities also have higher resolution data. 
  If you want to get fancy, look for digital ortho-quarter-quads.

> Did you switch map views often? how did you manage this?

right-button menu and mouse point and hold zooming.

Map context switching can happen automatically based on zoom presets in 
the map page.

> Is the above possible with Xastir?

Yes.

> Is there a better way to do what I think I need to do?

Having spent more'n a little time with GIS products, for what you're 
talking about doing, I am convinced Xastir is the right answer.

> Any discussion would be welcomed!
> 

73, gerry n5jxs
-- 
Gerry Creager -- gerry.creager at tamu.edu
Network Engineering -- AATLT, Texas A&M University	
Cell: 979.229.5301 Office: 979.458.4020
FAX:  979.847.8578 Pager:  979.228.0173
Office: 903A Eller Bldg, TAMU, College Station, TX 77843